Monday, July 21, 2008

We have seen the B-C ecom business grow in India, but most of the growth is driven by the online travel industry and very less has come as growth in the pure-play e commerce sites. The reasons are cited are many from the reluctance of people to use their credit cards online, the low penetration of computers and credit cards.....

But one of my recent experiences tell me a different story. The other day I wanted to send bunch of flowers to a friend in Bangalore, and being 2500 kms away decided to google companies which would deliver roses in Bangalore. I got one company and then placed an order around 48 hrs before the delivery date and the started to wait.....

On the day of the delivery till afternoon there was no news, i checked the website it said order pending. I tried calling the number given in the contact us , but I was directed to a voice mail....I thought that my money has gone down the drain and then I got all a call from the recipient to tell me that the flowers had reached...I was relieved

But then late in the night I thought of just checking whether the order status has changed, but to my surprise it still said 'Pending". The online agency did everything right, in terms of delivering the flowers on the said date, but then just because its back end operations are not in place it is not able to capitalize on its good service. Now this may seem as a minor issue but then It may even lead to customer disatisfaction , especially if the customer is based in some other country, for he would not even know that the gift has been delivered and he might not like to call up and find out. And when he checks the website it shows his order is still pendng and the date has gone, though eventually he might come to know but till then damage would have been done....

We have know the importance of back-end operations and how the lack of it lead to the collapse of the initial dotcoms but this case is the other way round...

5
comments:

We have seen the B-C ecom business grow in India, but most of the growth is driven by the online travel industry and very less has come as growth in the pure-play e commerce sites. The reasons are cited are many from the reluctance of people to use their credit cards online, the low penetration of computers and credit cards.....

But one of my recent experiences tell me a different story. The other day I wanted to send bunch of flowers to a friend in Bangalore, and being 2500 kms away decided to google companies which would deliver roses in Bangalore. I got one company and then placed an order around 48 hrs before the delivery date and the started to wait.....

On the day of the delivery till afternoon there was no news, i checked the website it said order pending. I tried calling the number given in the contact us , but I was directed to a voice mail....I thought that my money has gone down the drain and then I got all a call from the recipient to tell me that the flowers had reached...I was relieved

But then late in the night I thought of just checking whether the order status has changed, but to my surprise it still said 'Pending". The online agency did everything right, in terms of delivering the flowers on the said date, but then just because its back end operations are not in place it is not able to capitalize on its good service. Now this may seem as a minor issue but then It may even lead to customer disatisfaction , especially if the customer is based in some other country, for he would not even know that the gift has been delivered and he might not like to call up and find out. And when he checks the website it shows his order is still pendng and the date has gone, though eventually he might come to know but till then damage would have been done....

We have know the importance of back-end operations and how the lack of it lead to the collapse of the initial dotcoms but this case is the other way round...

We have seen the B-C ecom business grow in India, but most of the growth is driven by the online travel industry and very less has come as growth in the pure-play e commerce sites. The reasons are cited are many from the reluctance of people to use their credit cards online, the low penetration of computers and credit cards.....

But one of my recent experiences tell me a different story. The other day I wanted to send bunch of flowers to a friend in Bangalore, and being 2500 kms away decided to google companies which would deliver roses in Bangalore. I got one company and then placed an order around 48 hrs before the delivery date and the started to wait.....

On the day of the delivery till afternoon there was no news, i checked the website it said order pending. I tried calling the number given in the contact us , but I was directed to a voice mail....I thought that my money has gone down the drain and then I got all a call from the recipient to tell me that the flowers had reached...I was relieved

But then late in the night I thought of just checking whether the order status has changed, but to my surprise it still said 'Pending". The online agency did everything right, in terms of delivering the flowers on the said date, but then just because its back end operations are not in place it is not able to capitalize on its good service. Now this may seem as a minor issue but then It may even lead to customer disatisfaction , especially if the customer is based in some other country, for he would not even know that the gift has been delivered and he might not like to call up and find out. And when he checks the website it shows his order is still pendng and the date has gone, though eventually he might come to know but till then damage would have been done....

We have know the importance of back-end operations and how the lack of it lead to the collapse of the initial dotcoms but this case is the other way round...

We have seen the B-C ecom business grow in India, but most of the growth is driven by the online travel industry and very less has come as growth in the pure-play e commerce sites. The reasons are cited are many from the reluctance of people to use their credit cards online, the low penetration of computers and credit cards.....

But one of my recent experiences tell me a different story. The other day I wanted to send bunch of flowers to a friend in Bangalore, and being 2500 kms away decided to google companies which would deliver roses in Bangalore. I got one company and then placed an order around 48 hrs before the delivery date and the started to wait.....

On the day of the delivery till afternoon there was no news, i checked the website it said order pending. I tried calling the number given in the contact us , but I was directed to a voice mail....I thought that my money has gone down the drain and then I got all a call from the recipient to tell me that the flowers had reached...I was relieved

But then late in the night I thought of just checking whether the order status has changed, but to my surprise it still said 'Pending". The online agency did everything right, in terms of delivering the flowers on the said date, but then just because its back end operations are not in place it is not able to capitalize on its good service. Now this may seem as a minor issue but then It may even lead to customer disatisfaction , especially if the customer is based in some other country, for he would not even know that the gift has been delivered and he might not like to call up and find out. And when he checks the website it shows his order is still pendng and the date has gone, though eventually he might come to know but till then damage would have been done....

We have know the importance of back-end operations and how the lack of it lead to the collapse of the initial dotcoms but this case is the other way round...

We have seen the B-C ecom business grow in India, but most of the growth is driven by the online travel industry and very less has come as growth in the pure-play e commerce sites. The reasons are cited are many from the reluctance of people to use their credit cards online, the low penetration of computers and credit cards.....

But one of my recent experiences tell me a different story. The other day I wanted to send bunch of flowers to a friend in Bangalore, and being 2500 kms away decided to google companies which would deliver roses in Bangalore. I got one company and then placed an order around 48 hrs before the delivery date and the started to wait.....

On the day of the delivery till afternoon there was no news, i checked the website it said order pending. I tried calling the number given in the contact us , but I was directed to a voice mail....I thought that my money has gone down the drain and then I got all a call from the recipient to tell me that the flowers had reached...I was relieved

But then late in the night I thought of just checking whether the order status has changed, but to my surprise it still said 'Pending". The online agency did everything right, in terms of delivering the flowers on the said date, but then just because its back end operations are not in place it is not able to capitalize on its good service. Now this may seem as a minor issue but then It may even lead to customer disatisfaction , especially if the customer is based in some other country, for he would not even know that the gift has been delivered and he might not like to call up and find out. And when he checks the website it shows his order is still pendng and the date has gone, though eventually he might come to know but till then damage would have been done....

We have know the importance of back-end operations and how the lack of it lead to the collapse of the initial dotcoms but this case is the other way round...

We have seen the B-C ecom business grow in India, but most of the growth is driven by the online travel industry and very less has come as growth in the pure-play e commerce sites. The reasons are cited are many from the reluctance of people to use their credit cards online, the low penetration of computers and credit cards.....

But one of my recent experiences tell me a different story. The other day I wanted to send bunch of flowers to a friend in Bangalore, and being 2500 kms away decided to google companies which would deliver roses in Bangalore. I got one company and then placed an order around 48 hrs before the delivery date and the started to wait.....

On the day of the delivery till afternoon there was no news, i checked the website it said order pending. I tried calling the number given in the contact us , but I was directed to a voice mail....I thought that my money has gone down the drain and then I got all a call from the recipient to tell me that the flowers had reached...I was relieved

But then late in the night I thought of just checking whether the order status has changed, but to my surprise it still said 'Pending". The online agency did everything right, in terms of delivering the flowers on the said date, but then just because its back end operations are not in place it is not able to capitalize on its good service. Now this may seem as a minor issue but then It may even lead to customer disatisfaction , especially if the customer is based in some other country, for he would not even know that the gift has been delivered and he might not like to call up and find out. And when he checks the website it shows his order is still pendng and the date has gone, though eventually he might come to know but till then damage would have been done....

We have know the importance of back-end operations and how the lack of it lead to the collapse of the initial dotcoms but this case is the other way round...